The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-01-20
col. ELLIOTT AND Bob snIALIs.

COT. ELLIOTT AND Bob SNIALLS.
Some Interesting Facts About the Con
gressional Contest in the Black District--
How Smalls Was Beaten.
(stanhOpo Sans i'll the Augusta Chron c'o)
few days ago l had tho pleasure OF
meeting james Singleton, one of the
colorcd members from Berkeley county
in the Legislature of lSS2-nnd an in
toresting and powerful factor in the ro-
cent contest i'll the Seventh district be-
tween Col. William Elliott and Robert
Smalls. That fierce political race is
fresh in the recollection of all, and it
will be remembered that Colonel Elliott
entered the field against his expressed
inclination, and yielded his pleasure and
Judgment to the wishes of his party.
The Seventh district had been n Repub
lican stronghold since tho days of Fed
cral occupation, and III 1882 had sent n
Republican, L. w. NJ. Mackoy, to Con-
grcSs by al overwhelming majority.
Nlackcy died in 1888, aud Robert Smalls
Il colored Republican, was elected to fill
the uncXpired term. In 1854 Smalls was
returned to Congress, defeating Colonel
VIM. Elliott, the nominee of the Demo-
Gratis. In this election the Republican
majority had been considerably dimin-
lshcd, but not enough to afford any hope
Tor the Democrats III the next election
1t WAS under such adverse circum-
stances, aINt i'll the teeth of despair, that
Colonel Elliott was rendered the Demo
cratic nomination in 1856. He had no
desire Tor second sacrifice, but yielded
to the solicitation of his party, who be-
llcvCd him t he only man i'll the district
that could L ud the 'TOrlorn hope" His
victory is we'll known, and to that victo-
ry no one contributed more than James
Singleton, Of st. Stephens parish,
berkeley county.
Singleton favored me with q short
sketch of his own political career. He
received no furher education than a
| brief course ut country school, and
what he has achieved has been due to
their force of character, aided of course,
by the peculiar power held by the Re
! publican party in his county. In 1SS2-S3
he represented Berkeley county in the
! State Legislature. His colleagues were
Anderson Singleton, w. ". Beckett, G.
y. Navencl and ". G. Pinckucy all col
Orcd mon.
1t was i'll this Legislature that Pinck-
ney made himself famous by voting for
himself rs United States Senator. When
! his name was reached, in course Of the
election, he called out, "I vote for Will
liam q. Pinclulcy." Pinckneys vote
was the only one cast for himself, and
Gen. NJ. G.. Butler was elected.
Since 1883 Singleton has not been in
| politics himself, though ut every election
nc has worked for his purity, except in
! the election i'll 1856, when he Joined
| forces with the Democrats and insured
! the election Of Colonel Elliott. He is
still without the arena, but the bee has
not cnhruiy ceased to buzz in ms bon
net. There IS no certainty Of his con-
tinucd allegiance to the Democrats, as
his detection was rather because Of the
"bOssiSm" Of Smalls than from any con-
version to Democratic principles. There
is no doubt, however,, that his alliance
won the victory of 'SG, and the party
owes him its gratitude and part in its
triumphS.
After meeting Singleton I inquired
into his work for the Democrats last
year. What he helped to accomplish
may be appreciated by noting the change
i'll the votes OF Berkeley, and especially
i'll st. Stephens Parish. where Singleton
did his best work. In lSS! this Parish
f! gave Njackcy about 100 votes against 5G
Tor II. Sam Lee. In 1854 Smalls re-
ccived in the Same Parish large major
lty over Colonel Elliott. In 1856, Colo
mel Elliott received I01 votes in the
same Parish against - for SmaIls; thus
more than reversing the Republican ma
! jority of 1882 and 1884.
1t has been claimed that this enormous
majority was obtained through fraud [
will not now discuss this charge, but
certainly there was widespread detection
! IN lln l,, 4 1
! Seventh district. The strength Of that
party, indeed the lie of the party, and
the party itself, was in the cUlorcd
voters. Smalls was colorcd representa-
tive, and they looked ut him rs u friend
i'll places where he could benefit his own
race. This, they claimed, he always
failed to do, and represented his con
stituents only in color.
In the words of one of the disaflcctcd,
Smalls Chad grown too heavy for the
party to carry" and the party chad to
drop him." On one occasion, speaking
TO voter who was working against him,
SmaiIs IS said to have exclaimed: "rhe
lean dog can't stand by the fat dog"
and struck his hand on his pocket for
emphasis. Such representative must
be defeated, and he went down beneath
the weight Of indignation his actions
and his neglect had brought upon him.
1t is said that Smalls helped to defeat
himself by his candid recognition of the
probity and honor of Colonel Elliott.
Small announced from the stump that
Colonel elliott was in every way fitted
for the place, and that his own GSmallsD
legal representative in Beaufort. What
ever may be the result of the contest
over the seat in Congress, it appears
evident that outside of fraud practiccd
by either party, Colonel Elliott beat
Smalls by just and unpurchascd votes.
An ldah" Editor and Il Burglar.